Memories
by TVDObsessedGirl
Summary: Elena and Damon first met each other 10 years ago. But what happens when Damon comes back to find the love of his life, but she can't remember anything about him?
1. Chapter 1

10 years ago

"Stop it!" Elena giggled as she tried to push Damon away. He had her where he wanted her; arms above her head and her legs underneath him.  
"Make me!" Damon teased and ignored her protests as he tickled her again.  
It was a warm summers day in Miami, and the two children were playing on the beach. Elena, who was eight years old at the time, was as cute as an eight year old could get. Her dark, chocolate hair which travelled half-way down her back and her doe eyes which would make you melt as soon as you looked into them, made her stand out from the crowd. Everyone could tell she would be a stunner when she got older.  
Damon, who was 12 at the time, had dark hair and bright blue eyes, just like the ocean. He was tall for his age, but also a trouble maker. Elena liked this aspect of him, but she knew she felt safe by his side.  
Elena and Damon had met while both families were on holiday, only two weeks ago. Their time together was coming to a close, but neither of the children wanted to talk about it. That was, until Damon brought the subject up as the sun was setting.  
"What's going to happen, Elena? You're going back to Mystic Falls and I'm going home to Chicago, we can't possibly hang out any more." Elena stayed quiet, running through her answer in her head before she spoke it.  
"I'm never going to forget you Damon! Never, ever, ever!" Her voice coming close to shouting by the end of the sentence, just to make her point heard!  
"I hope not." Damon sadly smiled as he looked over at Elena. She smiled back, but anyone could see it wasn't genuine. She was worried that he would end up forgetting all about her.  
Elena brought her gaze down from his eyes, to her hands, which were running through the sand. She lifted her hand up to reach her necklace which was laying on her chest. The necklace was slightly too big for her as it lay further down than it was supposed, but Elena didn't care. She loved this necklace like there was no tomorrow.  
Elena sighed and unclasped the necklace from her neck. She held it in her hand and starred down at it. The necklace was beautiful, and had an old-soul feel about it. It was slightly Gothic and unusual, and nothing that Elena would pick out from the shops, but it felt special to her. Elena's grandmother had given it to her as a present, before she died, as her grandmother had given it to her before she passed. Elena had promised to pass it down to her granddaughter, but this seemed much more important.  
Elena reached out her hand, and placed the necklace into Damon's. He gazed down at it and started to protest.  
"Something to remember me by." Elena plainly said and closed his fist around the necklace. She knew she was doing to right thing. She didn't want Damon to forget about her at all, so this was a way that ensured to en extent, that he wouldn't.  
"Thank you." Damon smiled and leaned over and kissed Elena's check. Once he'd realised what he just did, he started to blush and looked away quickly. Elena giggled sweetly and moved closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and slowly drifted to sleep.

Present Day

It had been a long day driving for Damon, over 11 hours, but somehow, he wasn't tired. Adrenaline had gotten him through most of today, plus a high amount of sugar he had consumed. He had just passed the sign welcoming him into Mystic Falls, a place he only dreamed about visiting, but that day, was here.  
He was ready to face her again. A girl that he hadn't seen in over 10 years. A girl he hadn't spoke to in over 10 years. A girl that he'd loved since Day 1, but never had the courage to say so.  
Damon was now 22, about to turn 23. And by his calculations, Elena should be 18... Or 19... He couldn't remember exactly when her birthday was. Or then again, she may of never told him.  
By now, Damon was starting to get nervous. He had no idea where to find her. He didn't know where she was or where she lived. Hell, he didn't even know if she still lived here. But it was a place to start.  
He started to drive aimlessly around the small town, with a population of 9,000 people. Where should he start? The high street? Let's face it, teenage girls who have just finished school would definitely not choice to hang out on the high street. The park? He knew far too well that the only people who went to the park were happy families who enjoyed spending time with each other, or families that despised each other but wanted to show the world how good they all were at acting that they liked each other. So no, Elena Gilbert would not be at the park.  
Damon parked his car near the grocery store. He needed to stretch his legs... badly. He opened the door and stood up, closing the car door behind him and locking it. He stood on the spot for a moment, taking in the surroundings. He was in the middle of nowhere. Correction, Mystic Falls was in the middle of nowhere.  
Damon stretched his arms up and over his head, before walking towards the entrance.  
"Oh my gosh, he didn't do it did he?"  
Damon halted in his tracks. No. It couldn't possibly be. There it was, the voice he had dreamed about for nights upon end, and that all to familiar giggle that made him smile like a child at Christmas whenever he thought about it.  
"I can't believe he did that!"  
Damon slowly, but surely, started to turn towards the familiar voice that was gaining on him. She had her arms linked through two other girls arms, that looked around the same age. But never mind them, all he could focus on, was the beautiful girl, with the long brown hair and the dark brown eyes, which had been the centre of his thoughts for the last 10 years.  
As Elena started to pass him, he stepped in front of the three girls, without thinking if this was the right thing to do. All he could say was "Elena."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I should have mentioned this in Chapter 1 but in this story, Stefan and Damon aren't related in any way!

Elena stopped in her tracks and stared at the strange man in front of her. She had never met him before, yet he knew her name. She must have looked so strange just standing there, but she didn't know what to say. She was mute, until she felt Caroline tugging on her arm.  
"Sorry." Elena muttered and moved passed him as she followed her friends towards the entrance of the shop. Elena knew it was wrong to look back, but she did anyway. She was curious. How did this man know her name? Who was he? And why did he seem so familiar? She couldn't put her finger on any of the answers to these questions.  
When she looked back, the man looked heartbroken. She wanted to run back to him and question him for more details. He seemed intriguing. She wanted to know more. Before before she could Elena, Bonnie and Caroline entered the shop and rounded a corner.  
"Well that wasn't creepy at all!" Caroline said and grabbed a small basket from the floor.  
"Are you okay Elena?" Bonnie asked and gently touched Elena's arm. Elena shook her head and tried to get the man out of her mind.  
"I'm fine. I think." She answered honestly. She didn't know if she was fine or not. She never seemed to be 'fine' these days. Everything seemed to be going wrong. She was on a on-again off-again relationship with her childhood friend, Stefan. From the time they were children, everyone had said they would end up marrying each other one day! They seemed perfect for each other. He was the handsome, popular, football player who could get any girl he wanted. She was the beautiful, popular, cheerleader who could get any guy she wanted. It's almost like, they had to be together. Otherwise it defeated every single high school in the history of the world. The most popular boy and the most popular girl had to date. It's the rules!  
However, they weren't perfect. Nothing was perfect. You see, Stefan had a temper. All it took was for someone to look at him the wrong way, and he'd punch a locker. Not to mention every time Elena tried to break up with him, he'd start to get angrier and angrier. So to save the trouble, she stuck with him. Any when she did manage to break up with him, he'd appear at her front door the next morning with flowers and a box of chocolates, begging for her forgiveness. Which she always did.  
But this wasn't the only problem with her life. No, this wasn't even the biggest problem with her life. Her parents had died two years before, in a car accident, in which Elena was in the backseat. It was a miracle she survived. It was a miracle she didn't die along with her parents. Some days, she wished she had died along with them.  
When Elena and finished shopping with Caroline and Bonnie, she headed home. She half expected the man to still be outside, waiting for her. But he wasn't. In a way she was glad of that. Caroline would have never let her near him anyway. She would have put up the argument that she knows nothing about him, therefore, he could be a mass murderer. That's highly unlikely, but Caroline would have had a point. She didn't know him.  
Elena dropped her best friends off at their own houses. When she reached her own, she shut the engine off and sat in the car. The only noise that she could hear was the sound of children playing down the street.  
After a few minutes, Elena decided it would be best if she made her way inside. She knew her aunt would be watching her sit in her car from the living room window.  
"How was your day?" Jenna asked Elena as she shut the door to the house.  
"Strange." Elena answered. "There was this guy outside the grocery shop who knew my name." She sat down at the table and sighed.  
"Huh." Jenna said and sat down opposite her niece. "Was he cute?"  
"Jenna!" Elena giggled and playfully slapped Jenna's arm. "Kinda."  
"Just kinda?"  
"Ok, he was really hot. But he seemed so familiar. I'm sure I've never met him before, but he knew my name?"  
"Maybe he graduated from your school a few years ago?"  
"Jenna, I wouldn't forget a face like that. Trust me."  
"Ok. Well describe him to me."  
Elena paused and recalled every detail she could remember about the man. She told Jenna about his eyes, and how they were the first thing she noticed about him. They were so blue, she swore, then glowed. The blue orbs attracted her in, letting her see only a glimpse into his life. They were filled of secrets and uncertainty, which both intrigued her, and scared her. His clothes were the next thing she noticed. He was wearing all black; his jacket, his top, his trousers, everything. On anyone else, that would have looked too emo, but on him, it looked perfect. It gave him the right amount of mysteriousness without looking to creepy. And of course, his face. His handsome, mouth-watering, gorgeous face that made Elena melt just thinking about it. It then dawned on her, that she had only stared at him for 10 seconds, yet she got all of this information.  
"Wow" was all Jenna could say.  
Then Elena's younger brother Jeremy walked into the room, announcing that someone was at the door for Elena.  
"Who is it?" Elena asked Jeremy as she stood up.  
"Someone called Damon." Elena gave Jeremy a questioning look. She didn't know anyone called Damon. She made her way to the door, and there standing right in front of her, was the man from earlier today. She stopped in her tracks and stared at him.  
"Elena." Damon said and took a step into the house. Elena stayed quiet. She knew she wanted to see him again, but not here and defiantly not now. "Elena, you remember me, don't you?" Damon asked and took another step closer to Elena. As he took that step, Elena took a step back. She didn't know who this man was and it finally occurred to her, that it was scary that he knew her, yet she didn't know him.  
To answer Damon's question, Elena plainly shook her head. She doesn't remember him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

I really struggled to write this chapter for some reason. It didn't seem to flow, so I'm sorry if it's not as good as the last couple of chapters! Please remember to write a review! Tell me if you like the idea of the story so far. And how I can improve!

* * *

Damon stared into Elena's eyes for a few moments. Searching for any sign that she actually did remember him. And this was all a cruel trick she was playing. But it wasn't. Her eyes were blank, she truly didn't remember him. And that broke Damon's heart.  
"Elena, why don't you go back into the kitchen." Jenna appeared behind Elena and rested a hand on her lower back, guiding her out of the room. Damon saw Elena look back just before she disappeared, curiosity taking over her features.  
"I'm sorry about her Damon." Jenna looked up at the now 22-year-old man and gently smiled.  
"You remember me?" Damon asked and Jenna nodded.  
"How could I not?" Damon scoffed and sighed.  
"I was starting to believe I had imagined it all." He leaned against the nearest wall and shook his head. "I mean, it was over 10 years ago now. I swear I'd just came up with the idea that I met a girl called Elena when we were on holiday, just to relieve myself from boredom."  
"Is that what you really thought, Damon?" Jenna asked and leaned against the opposite wall. "Why would you ever think that?"  
"Because I honestly thought I had imagined it. But when I saw her today, it was like... I knew for certain that she was who I thought she was. There were no doubts in my mind."  
Damon and Jenna stayed in silence for a few minutes. It gave him time to recall everything that had happened today. No wonder Elena look petrified when he first said her name this morning. How stupid could he have been that she would have just instantly remembered him? He bet she didn't even remember her 10th birthday let alone a holiday when she was 8.  
"She was in a car accident." Jenna said as she broke the silence in the room. Damon looked up and met Jenna's eyes. "It was when she was 16." Jenna sighed, obviously one of the few topics that she never would want to choose to talk about. "She was in the car with her mother, Miranda, and her father, Grayson, when it went off a bridge and into a lake. It was a miracle she survived."  
"Miranda and Grayson?" Damon asked, but he got his answer from a simple shake of Jenna's head. And that was all he needed to understand how serious the accident was.  
"She doesn't remember it though. She doesn't remember anything. The doctors diagnosed her with amnesia, as soon as she woke up and asked who the hell I was." Jenna wiped a silent tear that had fallen. "They said that she would remember simple things like her name and her birthday. But her all her memories, were gone. She went into denial. The doctors said that's common for amnesia suffers. They don't want to believe anything about their life before, because they just can't remember it. So they distant themselves from that person they used to be, and want to hear nothing of it."  
"So she doesn't remember her parents?"  
"She remembers the idea of them. And pretends that she knows them when she see's pictures, but no, she doesn't remember. Not really anyway." Damon imagined himself in Elena's shoes. He imagined himself waking up one day and not remembering anything about anyone. He imagined himself not having any memories of the people he cared about and of the people he loved. He realised how horrible that would have been.  
"That's why she doesn't remember me then?" Damon asked Jenna.  
"There's always a chance that she could remember, Damon. Little things come back to her all the time. Like just last week, she remember her favourite childhood book. She went straight upstairs and read it in one night. She'd fallen in love with it all over again. But just give her time. Become friends with her. Be there for her. And whatever you do, don't bring up anything from the past. I know it's going to be hard, but trust me on this. It's best if she doesn't know for now. Let her figure it out by herself." Damon nodded at all Jenna's instructions and he knew he would follow them until the very last detail.  
Jenna then decided to change the subject, the awkward tension in the room was rising once again, and that was one of the things she hated; silences. "So where are you staying?"  
"In a hotel for a few days until I can find somewhere where I can rent. I think I might stay here for a while. I'm tired of the hustle and bustle of city life."  
"Well, you're welcome here any time you want." Jenna smiled a heart warming smile, signally it was time for Damon to make his way out.  
"Thank you Jenna."  
"You're welcome Damon. I always knew I would see you again anyway." Jenna stepped forward and embraced him in a hug. Damon didn't know what to do, so it took him a few moments to hug her back. Once they released from their embrace, Jenna opened the door and watched Damon step out into the darkness.  
"Come by the house tomorrow." Jenna called out to him. "I want her to "meet" you." She said and quoted with her hands at the appropriate place. Damon smiled and waved.  
"Thank you again Jenna."

* * *

"Well that wasn't weird at all." Elena said sarcastically as Jenna rejoined her in the kitchen. "Who was he?"  
"Just an old family friend." Jenna replied simply, reminding herself of the rules she'd just said too Damon. Don't reveal too much about the past, Jenna. "I want you to meet him. Properly." She paused, knowing what Elena would say after her next word. "Tomorrow." Elena looked up straight away.  
"I can't see him tomorrow Aunt Jenna. I'm going shopping with Caroline and Bonnie in the morning and I'm meeting Stefan in the afternoon then going out to dinner with him tomorrow night. There's no way I can physically meet him tomorrow!" Elena shrieked. "Plus he seems kinda weird. He knew my name, Jenna!"  
"Like I said, old family friend. He's never actually met you before, but I know his family, and they're good people, Elena. Don't worry."  
"Well, I still can't meet him." Elena crossed her arms over her chest, signalling she wasn't giving in.  
"Okay, first, you went shopping with Caroline and Bonnie today, so I think they can wait. Second of all, I'm sure Stefan won't mind you calling off dinner with him, Elena."  
"Have you met him?" Elena said and rolled her eyes. "He's been wanting to go on an actual date with me at a restaurant for ages. If I blow him off now, a day before, then he'll never forgive me."  
"Fine." Jenna said, giving in to her niece. "You can go to dinner with Stefan, but that mean's your morning's free."  
"I'll call Caroline and Bonnie." Elena huffed and got to her feet.  
As Elena left the room, Jenna smiled to herself. She remembered that family holiday, like it was yesterday. She remembered how happy Elena was when she woke up each morning, knowing that she would see Damon again. She remembered how sad she was when each day ended, knowing she'll have to spend hours apart from each other. Jenna knew from that moment, that what Damon and Elena had was special. And if there ever was a chance of them dating, she was going to push for it. Because they were perfect for each other. And Damon might just be the thing that Elena needed.


End file.
